Feed-weight adjustment



Patented May 15,1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY VV'. GOVIN, OF NORTHBGR-O, MASSACHUSETTS.

FEED-WEIGHT ADJUSTDIENT.

Application filed February T 0 all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that 1', HENRY W. Grovin a citizen of the United States, residing at Northboro, in the county or Worcester and State of. Massachusetts, have ini 'ented a new and useful Feed-Weight iidjustment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto an adjusting device for the feed weight of a self feed for a carding machine.

The principal object of the invention is to provide efficient means for adjusting the weight for controlling the operation of the feed in such a way as to secure a very line control and to permit of the automatic op eration of the feed when the amount of material in it has reached a certain predetermined amount, capable of being set so that this amount can be predetermined down to a very fine degree of adjustment; also to provide a device of this kind in which the adjustment can be set and locked and will not vary unless intentionally adjusted.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the top portion of a Bramwell card with a preferred emloodiment of this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the adjusting device, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line @l-4.- of Fig. 3.

As is well understood in this kind of a machine, the wool is put in a large box in the top of the card. This box has a grating for the exit of refuse and means for ralsing the material out of the case until it is near the top where it is brought under the action of an oscillating comb having a slow but long sweep. The teeth of the comb carry off the surplus wool from the elevating device, dropping it back in the box. Thus, what is left is evenly distributed and it is carried over the top of a roller where it is taken off by a carrier provided with flexible strips that sweep the wool oil and convey it into the scale pan 11. This scale pan is formed of two covered wings suspended by steel knife edges '12. These wings are connected to two levers 13 and 14 pivo ally connected together and on the latter is an arm 15 provided with a slidable weight 16. When the scale has received the proper amount of material the weight of it, overcoming the resistance of the weight 16,

4, 1922. Serial No. 536,544.

moves a small trigger which causes an automatic mechanism that is well known to disengage the driving belt of the elevating device, thus instantly stop iinp; the vfurther delivery to the scale pan which now remains at rest. l l hen the proper time arrives, the wings are opened and the wool is deposited on a feed apron 19 below. The scale pan is now closed and returned for more wool and the elevator is set going; at the same time and the delivery repeated.

The above mentioned parts are not shown in full because they constitute the elements of thc well known Bramwell self feed. This invention can be applied to that one or to the other ones of similar type equally well and it relates to the weight 16 above mentioned. This weight, as stated, is adjustable along the arm 15. It is provided as usual with a passage through it through which the arm passes. I have shown the weight as of square instead of the usual round construction and into the vertical side above or below the arm 15 is screwed a screw threaded rod 21 parallel with the arm 15. This screw is arranged to pass into the screw threaded opening in the weight any desired distance for adjusting purposes. On the end. of the screw it is provided with an adjusting toothed wheel 22 fixed to it at a distance from the weight. Pivotally mounted on the screw by arms 23 and straddling the wheel 22 is a plate 24:. This plate has a passage for the arm 15 ot the same shape as the arm and the passage through the weight and is provided with a set screw tor fixing: it to the arm 15 at any desired point thereon.

Also mounted on the screw is a nut 27 hz1ving a handle 28 adapted to move up against the forward side of the weight. This is for the purpose of locking the screw to the plate in any desired position but it is never intended to he moved except through a small are as indicated in Figs. l and 2. On the plate 24 is a spring" pressed pawl 29 tor euthe toothed wheel.

It will be understood that the weight is not provided with the usual set screw for fixing'it in adjusted positions to the arm 15 but this adjustment is secured entirely by the screw. The operation will be obvious. The plate 242 is fixed to the arm 15 in any desired position by means of its set screw and now the adjusting screw can be rotated a tter loosening the nut 27 to draw the weight along the arm and leave it in any desired Ill) position thereon. The rotation of the screw throughout an entire revolution will advance the weight the distance of the pitch of the screw thread. As there are several equally spaced teeth on the adjusting wheel 22 it is obvious that the operator can divide that distance into an equal number of divisions in a positive and simple manner by turning the wheel through the space of one tooth. In this way the weight can be adjusted and set a short enough distance so that the amount of wool or other fiber that is deposited on the apron of the card each time the self feed device works can be varied down to the finest limits. In this way the irregularities in the feed and the coarseness of the previous adjustments are entirely eliminated. The operator simply adjusts this until he gets the exact amount that is required and then the adjustment does not have to be varied aslong as the machine is working on the same kind of stock.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention and shown it as applied to a particular type of self feed. I am aware of the fact that modifications can bemade in the construction of the device and that it can be applied to other.

weight for holding the weight at any desired point therealong, a ratchet wheel connected with said means, and a ratchet pawl connected with the arm for holding the ratchet wheel and weight in adjusted positions.

2. In a self feeding device for carding machines, the combination with a scale pan for receiving the fibrous material. an arm connected with the scale pan for controlling its operation, a weight slidable along the arm for adjustably counterlnilancing the scale pan. a rod connected with the weight by a screw threaded connection, a toothed wheel fixed on the rod, a plate movably mounted on the rod and having a passage through which said arm passes, means for securing the plate fixedly to the arm. and

means for engaging the toothed wheel and holding it in its adjusted positions.

3. In a self feeding device for carding machines. the combination with a scale pan for receiving the fibrous material, an arm connected with the scale pan for controlling its operation, a weight slidable along the arm for adjustably counterbalancing the scale pan, a screw connected with the weight, a toothed wheel fixed on the screw a plate pivotally mounted onthe screw and having a passage through which said arm passes, means for securing the plate fixedly to the arm, a spring pressed pawl on the plate for engaging the toothed wheel and holding it in its adjusted positions, and a nut having a handle on the screw adapted to bear against the weight to lock the screw in its adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HENRY W. GOVIN. 

